Pick Your Battles
by Wicked Pen
Summary: An unexpected visitor arrives at Sue Ellen's house as the police are taking her into custody on the psychiatric evaluation court order John Ross bribed the judge to sign. Can he be stopped?


**Author's Note**: I was heartbroken John Ross had Sue Ellen removed from her home and taken into custody under the guise of a psychiatric evaluation so he could hijack her Ewing Global shareholder vote. Sue Ellen's alcoholic relapse is tragic enough but pitting mother and son against each other this way when she has just lost JR feels brutal. Sue Ellen is the only Ewing who's had no love interest yet and I wanted to give her some tenderness instead of being consumed by her son's infidelity and rewinding her past.

* * *

The ambulance's emergency lights flash red and blue against the front of Sue Ellen's grand white house, tall windows reflecting colored prisms into the night. Breathing heavily, her breath plumes in the chilly air. She squints her bloodshot eyes with each bright pulse of light as a police officer and paramedic lead her toward the rig.

"What's happening?" she slurs, disoriented, looking from side to side.

Her eyes widen at John Ross standing in the shadow of the ambulance.

"John Ross?" she says.

He stands silent, jaw clenching.

"John Ross what's happening to me?"

"This way ma'am," says the paramedic, gripping her arm tighter. "I've got you. You're okay."

"What?" Sue Ellen says. "Where? Where are we going?"

The officer guides her forward, pushing on her lower back. She stumbles in her high heels and cries out.

"Careful," the paramedic says, catching her around the waist.

He glances over his shoulder at John Ross who stays where he is.

Neighbors gather outside.

"Is she alright?" one shouts.

"Everything's under control ma'am, don't worry," the officer says.

She tries to steer Sue Ellen up the steps into the ambulance.

"Wait!" she says. "No, no! I don't want to go. John Ross?"

"Let's calm down, ma'am, try to stay calm. We don't want to medicate you and we don't have to if you just relax. We're here to help you."

"NO! Who are you? Why is this…"

Sue Ellen grabs the cold metal rails on the outside of the ambulance doors. Her hands slide down the damp handles as she starts to cry. The officer presses a nerve point on her wrist and she yells in pain, instantly releasing the handle. She twists Sue Ellen's left arm behind her back and removes her handcuffs.

"NO!" Sue Ellen cries, arching her back. "John Ross, why? Don't send me away. I just need….. I need….." she sobs, her legs giving out.

She reaches for John Ross with her free arm as she sinks to the wet grass.

"You need help, Mama," John Ross says coolly, keeping his distance. "Come on, get her in that rig and keep her safe. Get her some help."

He shoves his hands deeper into his pockets. Above Sue Ellen's sobs a throttling engine rumbles down the street. The huge black truck skids to a stop in front of Sue Ellen's driveway, blocking the ambulance in. A big worn boot hits the damp pavement with a thud as Bum gets out of the truck.

"Jesus Christ," John Ross hisses.

"What in hell is this?" Bum shouts, striding up the drive.

"Sir, stay where you are," the officer says. "I have command of this scene and I need you to stay by your vehicle please."

Pulling Sue Ellen up off the grass, she comes out of her shoes, the heels sunk into the soggy lawn.

"No! Please," she says. "Bum! Please! They're taking me…"

"What have you done, boy?" he says.

"Not your business," John Ross says, slowly walking to him. "What are you doing here anyway, Bum? Stalking my mother? You just happen to drive by, huh?"

Bum pulls his old Stetson down low.

"That's right, I drive by every night keeping an eye on things just like JR asked me to, you cocky son of a bitch. What are you doing to your mother? She threatening your plan to rule the world? You cold little prick. Your Daddy would be ashamed of you right now. I sure am."

John Ross laughs right in Bum's face.

"You presume I give a shit what you think of me? Who do you think you are, huh? You're not part of this family. You're the _help_. You work for me. I tell you what to do and you do it. Understand? Now get off my Mama's property before I tell the police you shot my Daddy dead."

Bum's large rough hands curl into big fists.

"You got a lot to learn, you know that? You're reckless. JR knew how to pick his battles and he won more because of it. You just now picked the wrong battle, son. You go on ahead and tell the police about JR. I've got some news for 'em about you as well, and you don't know the half of it. Go on, now. Tell 'em."

The men's faces are just inches apart. Both take fighting stances with chests barreled and fists clenched.

"Hey!" the officer yells. "You boys settle your score peacefully, you hear? Settle it or I'll haul both your asses off along with hers," she says, walking Sue Ellen back to the ambulance.

"You're taking this woman under whose authority?" Bum shouts at the officer.

"And who are you?" she says.

"Steven James. I work for the Ewings. I drive by and check on….this house every night."

Sue Ellen lifts her head and smiles faintly at Bum, her arms handcuffed behind her back.

"Mrs. Ewing's going through a rough patch right now, officer," Bum says. "She just lost her true love of many years. Murdered in Mexico, isn't that right, John Ross?"

He stares at Bum, trying to make the older man flinch. He doesn't.

"Young Ewing over here isn't what you'd call a sympathetic person. It's all about closing the deal," Bum says.

The officer looks back and forth between the two men, puzzled at the cryptic talk.

"Now, who did you say authorized this mental evaluation?" Bum says.

"I didn't," says the officer. "I appreciate your concern, Mr. James, but that's none of your business. I have a court order, end of story."

Sue Ellen begins to cry again.

"Come on ma'am," the paramedic says, taking her from the officer.

"Is that court order gonna hold up in court, John Ross?" Bum says.

John Ross turns back around, jingling his car keys.

"The Judge that signed that order, he's fine with pulling a grown woman out of her home without any prior mental evaluation from law enforcement? Just for grieving and drinking? Hell, half of Texas ought to be hauled off with her. Wonder if there might be more to this," Bum says to the officer who now looks closer at the court order.

"What did you petition the court with, John Ross?" Bum says. "How'd you prove harm to self or others when all she's done is drown her sorrows in her own home?"

Small beads of sweat form on John Ross' forehead. Only Bum notices. He smiles and hands John Ross a handkerchief. He slaps his hand away.

"John Ross," Sue Ellen says through tears, "please don't do this to me. You can have my shares. I'll sign them over to you tonight. Don't let them take me away."

"Whoa, what else is going on here?" the officer says.

"Nothing is going on here besides an alcoholic begging not to be made sober. That's what you want, Mama? Fine," he says and dials on his cell.

After a short conversation with his back turned, John Ross smoothes his hair and rolls his neck.

"The order's withdrawn, for now," he tells the officer.

"What?" she says.

He hands her his phone.

"Hello?….Yes, Judge, it's Officer Banks…"

Bum sits by Sue Ellen on the ambulance bumper and wraps his coat around her. She is shaking.

"Okay," the officer says handing the phone back to John Ross, "let's go. We're done here," she tells the confused paramedic.

She uncuffs Sue Ellen who still wobbles on her stocking feet, her eyes wide and searching. She startles at the metal ambulance doors clanking closed. She holds Bum's hand but can't face him.

As the ambulance drives off, John Ross also speeds away in his Porsche, leaving Sue Ellen and Bum standing together in silence on the middle of the front lawn.

"How could he do that to me?" she says, eyes turned to the sky. "For a deal? Putting me away is just…..business?"

Tears stream down her face. Bum has no words of comfort that make any sense to say.

"Come on, Sue Ellen, let's get you out of the cold."

She looks down the street at the path of John Ross' car, still unbelieving.

"Will he come back?" she says, liquor strong on her breath. "Will they come for me again? Does my son hate me?"

"Let's get you up to bed," Bum says but Sue Ellen turns to the street again.

"Where's JR?" she shouts. "John Ross needs him. Please! Bum? Find JR…"

Her eyes close and she nearly collapses. Bum picks her up and carries her into the house. She is small and light in his arms, shivering and weeping, her head buried against his chest. He wants to take her pain away.

He lays her on the king-sized bed, her muddied feet smudging the white duvet. She sighs a choked sob.

"Bum? Stay with me for a little while?" she says holding out her hand in the dark.

He removes his hat and sets it softly on the dresser. He passes his reflection in a mirror and tries to wipe the anger off his face. She won't see anyway. Her eyes are already closed as he sits gently on the edge of her bed. She feels his weight and reaches for his hand again.

Smooth and cold, her hand trembles inside his. He puts his other hand over hers.

"I'm sorry," she says through tears. "I'm sorry."

"Hush," he says softer than he meant to. "You've been treated bad for a long time, Sue Ellen, a real long time. But liquor ain't the answer. You know that."

She opens her eyes and Bum nearly weeps himself when he sees the sorrow in them.

"It takes the loneliness away," she whispers. "I don't want to be lonely anymore."

"You're not alone," he says.

She squeezes his hand and closes her eyes. For the first time since JR died, she doesn't see his face as she drifts off to sleep.


End file.
